Benihana Japanese Steakhouse

Benihana Japanese Steakhouse is located everywhere in the world, including one located right in the heart of downtown Toronto just beside the Royal York Fairmount hotel.  My wife was able to get a two for one dining experience which was why we were down there for the experience.  Otherwise the regular price for one person to go through this teppanyaki style restaurant experience would have been $59.99 per person.  We made reservations on a Tuesday night as it was my daughter's birthday and were able to get in at 7:30pm.  The place was surprisingly packed, even on a Tuesday night. We were led to our tables and offered alcoholic drinks as it was part of our package.

Teppanyaki Preparations

We went with a couple of combinations that they had in the menu.  I went with the Ahi Tuna and Scallops while my wife went with the Hibachi Filet Mignon 8 oz and Lobster Tail.  All the combinations had a mixture of cucumbers, onions and bean sprouts added into their dishes.  The ahi tuna was nicely seared on the outside and scallops were nice and bouncy still when it was served.  The only thing I didn't like about my dish was that the ahi tuna was still ice cold on the inside.  It was kind of odd considering everything else around it was nice and hot.  I wasn't too sure if that was the effect that the chef wanted or it was just the fact that the tuna might have been  too thick as they were all cube like but I just didn't get a good taste from it. The sauce he used also wasn't one that had packed a whole lot of punch to it.  It almost tasted like eating a cold jello with hot vegetables surrounding it.

The Hibachi Filet Mignon and Lobster Tail were a little better.  The chef made it so that the meat was medium rare and the lobster tail was carved up into smaller bite sizes.  The sauce was more or less the same as the one for the ahi tuna and scallops and the same onions, cucumbers and bean sprouts were used to mix the meat and lobster meat together.  The meat juices helped to enhance the overall taste of the dish while the lobster was fresh and tender.

Ahu Tuna and Scallops

Overall, it was okay but truthfully there wasn't really any overwhelming factor that would make the dishes more special or tastier than some of the other teppanyaki places that I have had at other restaurants in the past.  Even the whole presentation was a little boring.  There was no fire, no pizazz, no wow factor that would make it memorable.  Just a steamy volcano and that was it.  My biggest pet peave of the evening was the amount of wait time one had to wait from the time one was seated till the chef showed up to cook.  Almost 40 minutes had elapsed and believe me the people around the table were hungry.  I don't know if the place was worth the price of a full price.  At half price, it was just decent.  Overall I give it a 3 out of 5.

 Benihana Japanese Steakhouse
100 Front St W,
 Toronto, ON

416 860 5002

Terra Restaurant

Terra is an upscale restaurant located in the heart of Richmond Hill that focuses on serving some of the best international cuisines in the world.  Its fancy menu allows one to try out some of the more unique foods of the world within this restaurant.  In the past, it has been known to serve kangaroo meat whereas in today’s menu, ostrich meat seems to be the most unique choice of them all.  Regardless, we had an opportunity to celebrate three people’s birthdays this past weekend and as a result, we decided to give Terra a go.  Although some of my friends had been to this place before, it was my first trip here and certainly one I will never forget. 

Since some of us have never been to this restaurant before, we decided to with individual items that we could share and for some, we would order 2 or 3 servings of the same dish.  This included appetizers of the Crab Cakes ($19.95), Seared Sushi Grade Ahi Tuna ($18.95), Bison Carpaccio ($19.95) and entrees including the Tomahawk 48 ounce Rib Eye ($75.00), Seafood Spaghettini Aglio Olio ($39.95), Mushroom Risotto ($26.95), Ostrich in medium rare ($49.95), Tiger Prawns ($19.95), Roasted Sea Bass Marinated with Miso, Maple and Soy ($39.95) and one Grilled Centre Cut Provimi Veal Porterhouse($39.95) . 

Ahi Tuna

All the appetizers arrived at the same time and all of them looked delicious.  One of my personal favorites was the Ahi Tuna.  Each piece of tuna was thinly sliced and seared perfectly on the edges. There were only eight slices altogether however each slice tasted deliciously.  Mixed in with some wakame seaweed, roast roma tomato and chili lime salsa, this dish certainly stood out compared to some of the other dishes present.  As noted in their menu, they only selected the center cut which is not only the softest part of the tuna but it is also the part without bone and skin.  

Crab Cakes

The Bison Carpaccio was another one of those really good dishes they had served for appetizer.  Each piece of meat was sliced very thin just like the ahi tuna. It was mixed with pesto, pine nuts, truffle oil, arugula and with a thin piece of cheese.  Putting it altogether, the whole dish felt like it was coming to life.  The great thing about this dish was despite the large amount of meat that was present, it wasn't a dish that was going to ruin you for the rest of the evening. 

Bison Carpaccio

The crab cakes came in pairs and stacked one on top of the other.  Personally I thought the crab cakes were a little dry and flaky. With their coconut kaffir froth and their mango papaya salsa mixed in the batter, flavor wise it was there however I personally like my crab cakes just a little bit more moist.  You can definitely taste the crab meat on the inside and proportion wise they were pretty hefty. 

48 ounce Tomahawk Rib Eye

The highlight of the night had to have been the 48 ounce Tomahawk Rib Eye.  This thing was huge.  Although the bone itself was probably half of the overall weight, there was still plenty of meat attached to it.  The rib eye itself was nicely seared and the waiters would bring it out to the table in whole so that we could see it and take pictures with it.  Then it would go back to the kitchen where the chef would slice it up so that it would be easier for us to eat.  The rib eye was fantastic.  The meat was cooked to medium rare and in this case that was exactly what we wanted.  The meat was soft and tender and nice and pink on the inside and perfectly seared on the outside.  There were two large pieces of prawns added to the final presentation.  
 

Mushroom Risotto

The rest of the entrees all arrived at the same time.  The Mushroom Risotto was a nice dish to have although we did have a slight problem with the first batch when one of my colleagues found what looked like a plastic wrapper embedded inside the risotto.  The waitress did not put up any fuss at all, returned the risotto back to the kitchen and new one was given to us.  The first risotto was actually pretty good.  It was nice and moist and not overly salty.  The second one was a little bit saltier than the first one but it was still a very good risotto. 

Grilled Ostrich Fan

The Grilled Ostrich fan was very nicely done.  Appearance wise it almost looked like ahi tuna with its maroon colored meat on the inside and beautifully seared meat on the outside.  The meat was very soft and if you were to ask what it tasted like, I could tell you that it really didn’t taste any different than a medium rare steak.  Some people will swear by it that there is a distinct taste to ostrich meat but I personally could not really tell the difference.  The ostrich also came on with mushroom risotto which was perfect as one mushroom risotto alone wasn’t enough to share amongst nine people.  With a bit of peppercorn and truffle oil sprinkled on top of the ostrich meat, it was a very tasty and nice dish to have.

Seafood Spaghettini

The tiger prawns were one of my favorite and one of everyone’s favorite for the evening.  Two large size shrimps marinated in garlic sauce was a huge hit amongst all the guests.  The prawns were huge and very tender which is a by-product of how fresh the prawns were. 

Mixed Seafood Appetizer

The seafood spaghettini was also a good choice to have and one I would highly recommend.  The spaghetti mixed with a large piece of lobster, prawns, scallops, king crab and calamari is a must for any seafood lover.  I was really impressed with the proportion size of some of the seafood.  Sometimes when you order such a dish and it comes out, everything looks diced and minced inside your food but here at Terra everything was quite the opposite.  Basically, you get the whole seafood on your plate.  Corners were not cut which was what impressed me the most.  The taste was unbelievably good as the spaghetti was not too heavy which can be a problem sometimes when you have seafood spaghetti where chefs tend to make the sauce too creamy.  This was definitely not the case here. 

Roasted Sea Bass Marinated with Miso, Maple and Soy

The sea bass had a bit of uniqueness to it whereby a dose of maple syrup sauce really made this fish really sweet tasting.  It’s not often I eat fish that are sweet in nature but this one was.  When you add maple syrup sauce along with a combination of spicy coconut-lychee-pineapple froth with a grilled pineapple sweet onion salsa, then yes this is going to be one sweet fish.  It’s a different way of eating sea bass but the chefs really knew how to make it so that it wasn’t too far fetch. 

Grilled Centre Cut Provimi Veal Porterhouse

After all this and people amongst the group were still hungry.  It just seemed that there were stuck in a vacuum yearning for more.  So we grabbed a menu and ordered a Grilled Centre Cut Provimi Veal Porterhouse.  The veal was served with a porcini mushroom sauce and with spun mash potatoes.  If there was one meal that we all thought did not live up to its billing, it might have been this one.  The meat was nice and pink on the inside and the chefs were the ones who sliced it open for us.  However the meat was a little bland and not the most tender piece of meat we have ever had.  I know I’m a little biased because I had veal a few nights before at another restaurant and that was amazing veal.  This one was chewy, bland and unfortunately the mushroom sauce did not really help this dish at all.  When one factors in the price and the quality expected for this dish, this one was slightly off the mark.

Still, it was a wonderful night with great food shared amongst great friends.  Yes we also ordered dessert for the evening.  What’s a dinner like this without dessert?? With champagne and a few bottles of red wine consumed, the total bill was just a shade under a thousand dollars split amongst 9 people.  Mind you, some of the dishes we did doubles and triples on.  Although it was my first time there, it certainly won’t be my last.  Overall, I give it a 4.5 out of 5.

Terra Restaurant

8199 Yonge Street

Thornhill, Ontario

905-731-6161

Jump Restaurant

Everybody Jump, Jump!!!  Well one could certainly relate to this if they had ever been to this next restaurant.  Jump is a wonderful bar and restaurant located right in the heart of the financial district.  No matter what day of the week, this establishment is always packed like there is no tomorrow.  A few of us went there on a Thursday evening following a business meeting and it was a good thing we had reservations to this place because this place was packed.  We were given a private room away from all the noise however one could not but help notice that the place easily had about three to four hundred people and maybe more for that evening.

I had a three-course menu that evening which included the Soup of the Day, The Red Wine Braised Veal Cheeks as an entree and Toffee Creme Brulee for desert.  Despite the hundreds of people outside, I was really impressed that dinner was served swiftly.

White Bean Mixed with Bacon Bits

The Soup of the Day for this evening was White Bean Mixed with Bacon Bits Soup.  Personally I didn't quite like the overall texture of the soup as it was almost a little "starchy" in nature.   The white beans were blended down to a puree form while bacon bits were added on top of the soup.  Now I could be wrong but for some reason the bacon bits did not taste like bacon bits but instead tasted like Chinese sausage.  As I said I am probably wrong on that but whatever reason that's exactly what it tasted like.  (Yes the same Chinese sausage that you find in Chinese supermarkets).  With no other Chinese person in the room to ask, you readers will just have to take my word for it.  The soup otherwise tasted okay as it was a little bland however with the bacon bits added to it, it provided just enough saltiness to give it a bit of taste to it.  . 

Red Wine Braised Veal Cheeks

The Red Wine Braised Veal Cheeks was my entree and it was crazy good and I'm not even exaggerating on that.  The meat was very juicy, very soft and for someone who loves juicy meats this was one dish you should try to have if you ever come to Jump.  The meat was marinated in just the right proportions with the red wine in that you could certainly taste it with every single bite.  I was actually amazed at how soft the entire veal was and how the meat was like melting in your mouth.  All the bones were removed so all you had was just the meat and meat only.  It was absolutely delicious. There were no words to describe the veal that evening.   The dish also came with a couple pieces of crispy polenta and some charred heirloom carrots which in my mind didn't have a whole lot of taste to it, however all the talk was on the veal.  It was definitely the highlight of the night. 

Toffee Creme Brulee

The toffee creme brulee was fantastic.  I know many of you will say a creme brulee is a creme brulee.  How many different ways can you make it?  Well the chefs at Jump certainly found a way to do it with a toffee flavor mixture sprinkled with a strawberry on top.  The end result was a much sweeter and crispier creme brulee.  The beauty of the dish was that the creme brulee's original taste remained throughout as the toffee flavor didn't overwhelm the overall original taste of it and in fact if anything enhanced it even more by bringing more sweetness out of it.  Anytime you go outside the norm, it always opens up one for criticism and the potential for disaster but in this case, the chefs definitely knew what they were doing. 

Overall, it was truly a great night there.  Out of the three dishes that evening, only the soup was a little disappointing in my mind.  The entree and dessert were of the highest quality.  Despite the huge number of people there, the place was well-staffed and the staff itself was helpful and present all evening.  It was a great restaurant experience and a great place to hang out especially after work.  If you haven't been there before, make reservations and really, prepare yourself to have a fabulous night.  Overall I give it a 4.5 out of 5.

Jump Restaurant
18 Wellington St W,
Toronto, Ontario

416-363-3400

Dragon’s Legend

After consuming a large amount of food at a buffet restaurant recently, we decided to test the waters again and try Dragon Legends located in the heart of Markham on the southwest side of Woodbine Avenue and Highway 7.  This restaurant is I believe a sister restaurant of Dragon’s Pearl Restaurant in Toronto as it had recently took over a former banquet hall and transformed it into the buffet restaurant that it is now today.

Yellowtail Sashimi Complimentary Dish

We wouldn’t have known too much of this restaurant or even have known of its existence if it weren’t for the flyers that they were passing out.  They were 15% off the final price flyers and basically came in the mailbox.  The adult price on the weekend for this place was $29.99 while kids under 4 ate for $2.99. 

We made reservations to the restaurant for 6:00pm on a Saturday night and upon our arrival, we were greeted by not one but 5 hostesses at the door.  We were led to our tables and because of our coupon, we were given a complimentary yellow tail sashimi dish for our efforts. 

Sashimi and Sushi

As with any buffet restaurant, it is always difficult to comment on every little thing we had that evening so as my tradition I will focus on the good, the bad and the ugly.  Overall the food itself was surprisingly very good and very fresh.  I’m not too sure whether it was because of the full house they had that evening that allowed for a high turnover or that a lot of their dishes were made fresh, on the spot, right in front of you but many of the food they served in the restaurant was actually quite delicious.

To start off the evening, I actually tried every single piece of sushi and sashimi that they had out on display.  Some items I had either never had before or had maybe once or twice in my lifetime.  The bonito sashimi and the salmon chip were actually 2 somewhat newer things for me to try and both were yummy and tasty.  The bonito fish for those who don’t know comes from a mix tuna and mackerel family of fish and it’s a slightly meatier fish than some of the more traditional fish in the sashimi family.  The salmon chip was also a nice clever dish to make.  A simple salmon sashimi with mayonnaise sauce placed on top of a chip actually made a wonderful snack to have.  The rest of the sushi and sashimi were surprisingly good, partly because all of te fish were quite fresh .  One did not get that stale taste in any of the rolls or in the sashimi that I had tried that evening which was a rarity especially in a buffet style restaurant. 

Peking Duck and Fried Chicken

Two of my favorites of the evening had to have been the freshly grilled A3 steak and the Peking duck wrap.  Both are made fresh right before your eyes and as a result, it made a world of difference when compared to other places that serve the same dish.  The A3 steak was soft, juicy and tender and tasted heavenly while the Peking duck was cut fresh right before your eyes.  I think I alone had about a half dozen Peking duck wraps that evening alone. 

Other notables that evening were the crab legs and the roast beef.  As much as I enjoyed the roast beef, I was surprised to see, or better yet not to see, any prime rib available for the evening.  I was a little surprised not to see it as it is usually a staple in any buffet style restaurant. 

Grilled Salmon, Ribs and Roast Beef

The ugly of the night really had nothing to do with the food at all but with a personal hygiene issue with one of the waiters.  I really hate speaking this way about anyone because it’s not really my style to do so but your waiter is part of your dining experience. Although there were plenty of waiters serving us that evening, one of them unfortunately had a really strong body odor emanating from this person.  It was pretty bad in that every time this individual had come to take our plates away or pour us a glass of water, I would have to hold my breath and stop eating as it was just horrible.  I realize people work hard and that they work up a sweat however if you do and you emanate a certain odor, then an application of a deodorant is really all one really needs.  I know everyone at my table could smell this person and it’s unfortunate that many of this person’s colleagues failed to speak up.

Other than that, it was a pretty good night.  If it was left for me to decide on just the food alone, I would have given it a 4.5 out of 5.  With the waiter issue, they probably lost about a .5 mark on the overall experience.  The place was packed and there were still people lining up to get in around 8:30pm.  We continued to eat on and off till 10:00pm. that evening. Yes we ate for 4 hours that night and they never kicked us out. Overall, I give it a 4 out of 5. 

Dragon’s Legend

25 Lanark Road

Markham, Ontario

905-940-1811

Taro's Fish

If you want great sushi , then Taro's Fish is the place to be.  I had the opportunity to check this restaurant out last night as I had heard many wonderful stories from this establishment.  Located in the heart of North York, this restaurant does more than just serve its customers.  Not only do they do take outs and in-house dinings, they also do catering for many personal and business functions. As it was just myself, my wife and the little one for the evening and it was one place that we really wanted to try, we decided to give it a go and ordered  their Sushi for Two menu ($50.00) and a separate order of scallops sashimi ($9.99)

The 30-piece Sushi for Two order included 9 different types of nigiri and 2 different types of rolls.  The types of nigiri included were salmon, maguro (tuna), ebi (or shrimp), medium toro, mackerel, white fish, sardine, hamachi and uni.  Every single piece of fish presented that night was amazing.  They were all extremely fresh, rather large compared to the rice and very pure tasting.  Personally I thought the quality of the fish that the chefs chose to make up the Sushi for Two order was pretty good.  Where other restaurants in the past would load up an order like this with butterfish, salmon and tuna, the variety provided I thought was fair to the price one paid for this particular order.  My biggest enjoyment of the night however was not from the nigiri.  It was actually from the scallops sashimi.  The scallops sashimi was simply put amazing!!!!  The scallops sashimi were just as fresh as the fish.  It was smooth, it was slippery and it literally melted in your mouth.  For $9.99, one got to consume 6 large pieces of fresh scallops sashimi and believe me when I say it was definitely well worth the price.  Had I known it tasted that good, I might have placed a second order for it.  The argument could be made that there really isn't anything to scallops sashimi since all one needed to do was crack them open and serve them however one bite into these scallops and you could tell that there was something different about these particular scallops.  It's possible that their chefs might be taking their time and thus are choosing the best scallops for their inventory and not those that are at the bottom of the barrel which of course would make a big difference.  Compared to other restaurants, these scallops were bouncier or more jelly-liked, much larger compared other scallops that I have eaten at other places and "sweet" tasting as Chinese people would like to say. 

Sushi For Two plus Scallops Sashimi

The two types of rolls that were served included the California Roll and the Spicy Salmon Roll.  Both rolls were made to perfection.  The rice was perfect as it was not the really bad mushy type that some other places tend to serve.  The rolls were packed with all their necessary ingredients and presented in a nice manner. Although it was not really a major complaint on my end, the spicy salmon was actually not that spicy at all.  I have tasted some really spicy salmon before but these spicy salmon rolls actually didn't have that much kick to it.  Nonetheless, the rolls were still very good. 

I really enjoyed the sushi and the sashimi from this place.  I had heard great things from them and the fact that they are opened for only five days a week and are closed on Sundays and Mondays and still have the entire restaurant packed is a strong testament as to how well they are doing.  I would highly recommend one make reservations if you could before going as it's not that big of a place.  I don't think you will be disappointed as we certainly were not.  For any sushi lovers, this is one place you must give a try.  Overall, I give it a 4.5 out of 5.

Taro's Fish
800 Sheppard Avenue East
Toronto Ontario

416-730-8555

Red Lobster

It had been quite some time since I ate at any Red Lobster restaurant however when there was a special deal on Red Flag Deals and from what we were told a brand new menu with four new entrée combos, then a visit to this long time establishment was definitely warranted.  We decided to go there on a weeknight thinking that it would be quieter however when we got there around 6:30pm and without reservations, we were surprised at the amount of people standing at the door waiting to get in.  The place was packed and there were people actually leaving because they were told that the wait was going to be 45 minutes long.  We were fortunate however because despite getting the same message, we were given a table within ten minutes of waiting. 

Scanning their brand new menu, we decided to go with a few of their new combos including the Ultimate Feast, Wood-Grilled Lobster, Shrimp and Scallops and the Bar Harbor Lobster Bake.  We also got ourselves a Red Lobster Signature Pizza and the Lobster Crab and Seafood Stuffed Mushrooms.

Red Lobster Signature Pizza

I personally had the Ultimate Feast myself which consisted of an Atlantic coast lobster tail, snow crab legs, garlic shrimp scampi and Walt’s Favorite Shrimp.  The lobster tail was made to perfection.  With its juicy buttery sauce to dip it in, the lobster tail was succulent from the first bite to its last. The lobster meat literally fell right off the shell and was tender all the way through.  The crab legs were perfectly steamed.  As an added bonus, not only was there plenty of meat in the crab legs itself, but there was plenty of meat near the body where are the crab legs were held together.  The garlic shrimp was my personal favorite although it was probably quite fattening to the average person.  The shrimp was immersed in hot melted garlic butter sauce and there were about 8 pieces of wonderful tasty shrimps inside its bowl.  The shrimps were all fresh and nicely de-shelled from head to tail.  Lastly Walt’s Favorite shrimp was actually shrimp placed in deep fried batter and served to us hot and crunchy.  The shrimp was great and I certainly had no complaints with them.  Personally I would have loved it had they fried in coconut beer batter.  That to me is my all time favorite with deep fried shrimp. 

Lobster Crab and Seafood Stuffed Mushrooms

The Wood Grilled Lobster, Shrimp and Scallops were all grilled to perfection.  The scallops were nice and tender and had a good bounce to them.  All the seafood was cooked to perfection and there was plenty of rice and broccoli to go with the seafood.  There was again a small bowl of melted butter that went well with the seafood.  This was a wonderful entrée especially for those who didn’t want an all-seafood plate. 

Ultimate Feast

 The Bar Harbor Lobster Bake was probably one of the most filling entrées on the menu and if you are super hungry, this was one entrée that one should go and order.  The seafood on top consisted off lobster tail, shrimps, scallops and mussels and this was placed on top of a large amount of linguini on the bottom.  Watching our friend eat it was exhausting as there was a lot of seafood and pasta to consume.  Needless to say, not all of it was eaten and what was left over was doggied-bag home that evening. 

Wood-Grilled Lobster, Shrimp and Scallops

The Lobster Crab and Seafood Stuffed Mushrooms were a combination of broccoli, rice and cheese stuffed inside the mushrooms. The mushrooms were then immersed in white Cheddar cheese and baked to a nice golden brown color.  The cheesy flavored mushrooms were fantastic.  The cheesy mixture was quite similar to ones that were used by other restaurants where seafoods like escargots and mussels were mixed with similar cheesy sauces.  Despite the amount of stuffing inside the mushrooms and the amount of cheese on the outside, one did not feel bloated or stuffed after eating this dish, which is good considering the amount of seafood one would have to consume later in the evening.   

Bar Harbor Lobster Bake

The Red Lobster Signature Pizza was a thinly crusted pizza topped with lobster meat, melted cheese, fresh tomatoes and sweet basil.  Texture and appearance wise it appeared to be just a simple pepperoni pizza except the pepperoni was substituted with lobster meat.  I personally enjoyed the novelty however I would prefer pizza with the pepperoni.  The lobster didn’t really provide any extra taste to the pizza and with the lack of pepperoni in it, it almost made the pizza somewhat bland.  If you are a huge fan of thin crusted pizzas, then this pizza is for you as the bottom was almost paper thin. 

Overall, it was certainly a night not to count one’s calories or cholesterol.  The food was really good right to the very last bite.  My own thinking was that even though I have not stepped in a Red Lobster in quite sometime, most of the food that was presented was something I had seen and eaten before.  The only thing that was different with the entrée menu in my mind was just the combination of the foods put together.  The lobsters were made the same way as before as were the shrimp and seafood.  Maybe I’m wrong but it sure felt like the same, just a different combination.  Still, the food was great and it was good to get reacquainted with a great restaurant.  Overall I give it a 4.25 out of 5. 

Red Lobster Restaurant

3252 Sheppard Avenue East

Toronto Ontario

416-491-2507